Feeder for stock animals



June 4, 1963 z. sMoKER ETAL FEEDER FOR STOCK ANIMALS Filed Feb, 27, 1962[smc Z. SMOKER f, a( ,4A/:0N R 8511.512

:4 TTORNE Y 3,092,077 FEEDER FOR STOCK ANlMALS lsaac Z. Smoker,tercourse, and Aaron P. Boiler, Gap,

Pa., assignors to Sperry Rand Corporation, New Holland, Pa., acorporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 176,048 4 Claims.(Cl. 119-52) This invention relates to a device for supplying stockanimals with hay, forage and the like.

Heretofore, various types of devices have been provided for mechanicallydelivering feed to stock annuals, such as steers. The most common feederemploys an elongated trough trom which the `animals feed and having anauger for conveying sand `distributing feed along the length of thetrough. Such auger is suitably housed to prevent injury to the animals.Sometimes, the auger is located above the trough and provided withguides so that conveyed feed twill drop down into the trough.

Feeders of the trough-auger type involve substantial structure and aretherefore costly. lf the trough is one hundred feet long, the auger mustbe o-f equal length and fabricated steel augers lare expensive. Further,the auger must be rotatably supported, usually by hangers at spacedintervals along the length ot the auger. In some installations,mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the auger relative to thefeed trough to control the amount of feed distributed throughout thetrough. -All of this structure involves substantial expense.

A main object of this invention is to provide a stock feeder which isexceedingly simple in design, having a number of operative componentssubstantially less than prior feeders whereby the feeder of thisinvention is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install 'and involvespractically no maintenance.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stock -feeder whichcompletely eliminates the use of augers or other conveying means incombination With a trough to distribute feed therein.

A further object of this invention is fto provide a stock feeder of thecharacter described having a fence for controlling the position of theanimals relative to the feeder.

Other objects of this invention twill be apparent Ihereinafter from thespecification and from the recital in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is la part side elevation, part fragmentary section of a stockfeeder Vand fence therefor constructed according to this invention;

PEG. 2 is a section on an `enlarged scale taken on the line 2-2' of FIG.1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing a steer in positionto feed from the feeder trough; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the feedertrough and one of the pair of supports therefor, the tro-ugh being shownin one position in solid lines anda second position in dotted lines.

Referring now to the `drawings by numerals of reference, tand lirst toFIG. l, 1d denotes `generally a stock feeder which extends horizontallyland is supported on the ground G. The feeder may be of any desiredlength, depend-ing upon the number of `animals to be fed 'and theavailable space. The feeder comprises a trough l2 having a bottom wall14 tand a pair of vertically extending tat tent i gll?? Patented June 4,1963 2 side walls 15 'and l116. The side walls have out turned top edges15 to form smooth rounded edges along the trough. The terminal end 19 ofthe trough has -a transversely extending end wall 20 which closes thetrough. The opposite or inlet `end 21 is provided with la similar endwall, not shown.

Preferably, the trough is about thirty three inches Wide and twelveinches deep, the corners where the bottom and side walls meet yheiligrounded off as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The inside of the trough isconstructed to be as smooth as possible so that hay, silage `and thelike will readily slide lalong the trough bottom. The trough i-ssupported for oscillatory movement, in a fore-and-laft direction asindicated thy the arrows 22, by pairs of support posts 2,4 `and 25,there being sets of posts at spaced intervals along the length of thetrough. The support posts comprise simple angle irons having flat baseportions 26 Jwhich rest upon the ground G. Each support post Ahas aninclined link 28 pivotally connected at 29 to the support post and at 30to the trough 12. Suitable bracket structure 3l is provided beneath and`on the outside of the trough to which the links Z8 are pivotallyconnected.

When viewed `as, shown in FIG. l, it will be seen that the links 2Sextend downwardly and slightly rearwardly lfrom their pivots 29.Intermediate the ends of the trough, drive means 35 is provided forvibrating and oscillating the trough at about 250 strokes per minute.About a three horsepower motor 36 is provided having an output eccentric38 which impar-ts a reciprocating movement to a link 39. One end of thelink is connected to the eccentric 38 and the opposite end of the linkis connected yat 41 to the bottom 14 of the trough 12. A control box 4Zis provided for stopping and starting motor 36. When the 'motor 36 isoperating, the link 39 is reciprocated and the trough 12 is oscillated.In its oscillations, 'the trough swings back and lforth on the links 28,feed deposited in Ithe end 2l of trough l2 being conveyed toward end201. The vibrating struct-ure its conventional and therefore will not bedescribed in ygir-eater detail here.

Adjacent the end 2l of the trough 12 'a stand 4S is provided Ihavin-g Iaplatform 46 on which bales B may be placed. An inclined ramp 47ycommunicates with the end 21 of the trough '12|` `'and connectsplatform 46 with the trough. Mounted on the ramp 47 is a conventionalbale disintegrating device 4S so that when the bales B lare moved fromthe platform 46 and .down the ramp 47, they are disintegrated and theloosened hay H is deposited in the trough 12.

To operate the feeder, control 42 is used lto start the motor 35. Thisstarts the trough 12 t vibrating. The operator then feeds the bales Bthrough the disintegrating device d3 so that hay is continuouslydeposited in the end 21 of trough 12 to provide a substantially unbrokenstream of material. The hay `will Ibe yconveyed and distributedthroughout the |15u11 length of the trough. It has been found that thehead .of the hay streaml travel toward the terminal end of the trough atla mate of about twenty to thirty feet per minute. When the trough hasfee-d yfrom end to end, motor 36 is shut ol land the animals may tfeedfrom the trough. A steer S is shown in FIG. 2 standing on the ground Gadjacent the feeder and positioned to feed from the trough.

To control the position ot the animal relative to trough l2, a .fence Seis provided comprising uprights 51 alongside the support posts 25'.These vertical tip-rights carry horizontal rails which are Venticallyspaced relative to each other, there being a lower rail 52 and an upperrail 54. The space between these rails is such that the steer S mayextend his head between these rails and eat from the trough l2. As shownin FG. 2, the lower rail 52 is located above the top edge 181 of theadjacent side Wall 16 of the trough 121. This controls the position ofthe head and neck of the animal so that he may not intenfere with theoscillation of the ltrough l2. The upper rail d prevents the animalsfrom attempting to climb on top of the feeder structure and therebydamage the feeder.

With the feeder structure described, no auger or other conveying meansis provided with the trough i12. The trough in'its entirety is mountedon the support posts 24.- and 25 for oscillating movement in afore-andaft direction to vibrate the entire trough and thereby feed thematerial from the inlet end 2l to the terminal end '19. Thus, thestructure which conveys the feed, and the trough from which the Ianimalfeeds, is one and the same. The trough l2 cost no more than aconventional feed trough and the support link structure for the troughand the oscillating means cost substantially 'less than auger conveyingmeans or other similar apparatus. The simplicity of the structurerenders it inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and maintenanceproblems are minimal.

While a bale disintegrating device is shown at the inlet end of thetrough l2, it will be understood that other inlet zfeed means could beemployed. For example, the feed could come from the spout of :adischarge chute of a silo `or feed could be deposited in the trough froma selfunloading Wagon or the |like.

It has been yfound that when the trough l2 is used for distributing hay,the hay deposited in the end 21 will be conveyed towards the end 19. 'lffthe operator fails to :shut-off the device, the hay upon reaching wall2li falls back upon itself as the trough is oscillated and the level ofthe hay in the trough tends to seek its own level and become evenly`distributed throughout the full length of the trough. Therefore, asubstantial amount of hay can be deposited in the trough :and thenevenly distributed throughout the full length thereof. Such distributionrequires that the end of the trough be closed off with a vertical endrvvall.

While this invention has been described in connection iwith a particularembodiment thereof, it Iwill be runderstood that it is capable lofmodification, and this application is intended to cover any vari-ations,uses, or adaptations following, in gener-a1, the principles of theinvention and including such departures from the present disclosures -ascome Within known or customary practice in the `art to which theinvention pertains, land las fall within the scope of the invention orthe limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is:

l. 4A feeder for supplying hay, silage and the like for steers tandother stock animals comprising, in combination, an elongatedhorizontally extending trough from which the animals feed, meanssupply-ing feed to said trough `adjacent one end thereof, meanspivotally supporting said trough lat spaced intervals for vibratorymovement in the direction of extension of the trough, drive means`connected to said trough and imparting an oscillating movement to thetrough in its entirety and operative to cause feed deposited in said oneend of the trough to' move toward the opposite end thereof, said troughopposite end having 1an upstanding transverse wall closing the trough,said feed on being conveyed longitudinally through the `trough engagingsaid opstanding wall and being prevented from discharging from saidopposite end, the depth of the feed in the trough increasing after thefeed has engaged said opstanding wall, and means stopping 'and startingsaid drive means.

2. A feeder for supplying hay, silage and like material for st ers andother stock animals comprising, in combination, an elongatedhorizontally extending trough from which the animals feed, said troughhaving a bottom wall 4and side walls and said side walls having topedges, means supplying feed to said trough adjacent one end thereof,means pivotally supporting said trough at spaced intervals for vibratorymovement in the direction of extension of the trough, drive meansconnected to said trough and irnparting an oscillating movement to thetrough in its entirety and operative to cause feed mate-rial depositedin said one end of the trough to move toward the opposite end thereof,said trough opposite end having an opstanding transverse `wall closingthe trough, said feed material on being conveyed longitudinally throughlthe trough ensaid opstanding Wall and being prevented from dischargingfroin said opposite end, the depth of the feed in said trough increasingafter the feed has engaged said upstanding wall, means stopping andstarting said drive means, `and a fence coextensive with said trough,said fence having a lower rail extending horizontally 'and over whichanimals may extend their heads to feed from the trough, said lower railbeing located above said top edges of the trough side Walls andpreventing the animals from interfering with the oscillation of thetrough.

3. A feeder `for supplying hay, sillage and like mate-rial for steersand other stock animals comprising, in combination, an elongatedhorizont-ally extending trough from which the `animals feed, said troughhaving a @bottom wall and side `walls and said side Walls having topedges, means supplying lfeed 'to said trough adjacent one end thereof,means pivotally supporting said trough at spaced intervals for vibratorymovement in the direction of extension of the trough, drive meansconnected to said trou-gh and imparting van oscillating movement to thetrough in its entirety and operative to cause feed material deposited insaid one end of the trough to move toward the .opposite end thereof,said trough opposite end having an opstanding transverse -wall closingthe trough, said feed material on being conveyed iongitudinaflly throughthe trough engaging said upstanding Iwall and being prevented fromdischarging from said opposite end, the depth of the feed in said troughincreasing after the feed has engaged said upstanding wall, meansstopping and star-ting said drive means, and a fence coextensive withsaid trough, said fence having a lower rail extending horizontally andover which animals may extend their heads to feed from the trough,

said lower rail fbeing located above said top edges of the trough sideWalls and preventing the animals from interfering with the oscillationof the trough, Iand said fence having a top nail spaced vertically fromsaid lower tail such a distance that the `animals may readily extendtheir heads between the rails, said top rail preventing the animalslfrom climbing on top of the trough.

4. A feeder for supplying hay, silage and like material for steers andother stock animals comprising, in combination, an elongatedhorizontally extending trough from which the animals feed, said troughhaving a bottom Wall, side walls and being closed lat each end by anAopstanding transverse wall, said side Walls having ltop edges, meanssupplying feed to said trough adjacent 4one end thereof, means pivotallysupporting said trough at spaced intervals for vibnatory movement .inthe direct-ion of extension of the trough, drive means connected to saidtrough land imparting an oscillating movement of fthe trough in itsentirety and operative to cause feed material deposited in said `one endof the trough to move toward the opposite end thereof, said feedmaterial on being conveyed -longitudinally through the trough engagingsaid upstanding wall @at said opposite end and being prevented fromdischarging, the depth of the lfeed in said trough increasing afterth'e'feed has `engaged said opposite end upstanding wall, means stoppingand starting said drive means, and a fence coextensive with said trough,said fence having a lower rail extending horizontally -and over whichlanimals may extend their heads to feed from the trou-gh, said lowernail being located above said top edges of the trough iside walls `andpreventing the animals from interfering with the oscillation of thetrough, and said ctence having a top nail spaced vertically lfrom saidlower rail such a distance that the Aanimals may readily extend theirheads between the rails, said top -rail preventing the 'animals fromclimbing on top of the trough.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSFOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Got. 6, 1954

1. A FEEDER FOR SUPPLYING HAY, SILAGE AND THE LIKE FOR STEERS AND OTHERSTOCK ANIMALS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED HORIZONTALLYEXTENDING TROUGH FROM WHICH THE ANIMALS FEED, MEANS SUPPLYING FEED TOSAID TROUGH ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF, MEANS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAIDTROUGH AT SPACED INTERVALS FOR VIBRATORY MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OFEXTENSION OF THE TROUGH, DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TROUGH ANDIMPARTING AN OSCILLATING MOVEMENT TO THE TROUGH IN ITS ENTIRETY ANDOPERATIVE TO CAUSE FEED DEPOSITED IN SAID ONE END OF THE TROUGH TO MOVETOWARD THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF, SAID TROUGH OPPOSITE END HAVING ANUPSTANDING TRANSVERSE WALL CLOSING THE TROUGH, SAID FEED ON BEINGCONVEYED LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH THE TROUGH ENGAGING SAID UPSTANDING WALLAND BEING PREVENTED FROM DISCHARGING FROM SAID OPPOSITE END, THE DEPTHOF THE FEED IN THE TROUGH INCREASING AFTER THE FEED HAS ENGAGED SAIDUPSTANDING WALL, AND MEANS STOPPING AND STARTING SAID DRIVE MEANS.